Folding attachment for sewing-machines.



D. ZEISER.

FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20,1907.

1,108,419. Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

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'1). ZEISER. FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1907. 1,108,4Jc19w 3 SHBETSrSHBET 2.

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Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

D. ZEISER. FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 20, 1907. 1,1 08,41 9. Patented Aug. 25, 1m

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FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR. SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Allg. 25, 1914:-

Original application filed August 1 1, 1905, Serial No. 2%,069. Dividedand this application filed September To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, Dnconner Znrsns, of

the city of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer reference beingmade to theaccompanying drawings, illustrative thereof.

My invention relates to that class of sew ing machines employed in themanufacture of cellars, cuffs, shirt neck-bands, and other analogousarticles where several thicknesses orplies of material or fabric arecombined and finished by first infolding their oppos-p ing margins andthen stitching along the edge through the entire complement of plies Theconstruction and action of the sevenl cooperative parts of the inventionbeingsuch that the infolding of the margins of the plies and the sewingof them are simultaneously carried on so as to commence and complete theassembling, edgefolding and sewing of the finished edge of the articleat a single passage of the article Such machines have heretofore beencomplex in construction, re-

. quiring a high degree ofskill in their operation, and diliiculty hasbeen encountered in so controlling the tension. of the sewing thread asto secure uniformity in drawing up the stitches and in so holding andhandling the complement of plies of fabric during their passage underthe needle as to maintain a flat, even lay of the plies of in tor-liningbetween the outer plies after the article has been sewed.

lhe objects of this invention, among other things are to consolidate ina single opera tive device as many of the preexisting separate operativeelements found in the prior art as possible, to eliminate, in theprocess of infolding, the movements, of certain preexisting operativeelements and thereby dispense with the mechanism required to effect suchmovements, to so mold the surface of the bed or table which supports theplies of fabric while undergoing manipulation as to produce and maintainsuch a bent form of the fabric as will tend to preserve proper relationbetween the plies of the interli-ning and the surface plies during thesewing operation as well as to preserve properrelas Serial No. 393,766.

tion at their edges between the plies themselves; to securepropertension of the upper thread at the moment of tightening the stitch sothat noslack stitches shall occur in the finished seam. Also to providemeans for handling a diversity of plies, as for instance, one, two,three, four or more plies with the same infolding devices, whereby aminimum of partsfis secured. Also to provide improved means for turningand hold ingthe fabric in stitching around curves, as in stitchingaround the corner of a cuff or collar. Other minor features of noveltywill appear in the description and claims. Another object secured bythese improve ments consists in adapting the aforesaid devices for useon a horizontal work-supporting table in contra-distinction fromsupporting the work in a vertical or perpendicular position whilepassing it through the machine.

ihS here disclosed the drawings show the invention applied to amanufacturing Wheeler & l/Vilson sewing machine of which nearly all thesubstantial parts remain unchanged and with the construction of whichsewing machine owners and operators are familiar.

Referring to the drawings, Figm-e 1 is an end elevation of the head of aWheeler & lVilson machinehwith my invention applied. thereto. Fig; 2 isa view of the interim. of the head of such a machine asseen from theoperators position in front, parts of the case being removed for thatpurpose.

Fig. 3 is a view of the mechanism and interior of the case as seen fromthe left hand side of the machine with the side covering plate removed.Fig. at is a detail view of the parts which impart movement to needle,presser jaw and stripper finger detached from their working connections.a vertical longitudinal section of a part of the machinetalren on theplane of the axis of the needle when making the down stroke, and showsthe connections for driving the Fig. 5 is rannner in the process ofcrowding the free edges of the plies in between the blades of thefolder. Fig. 6 aperspective view of myinvention showing the principalparts thereof as they appear on the UPPGPSIClGOf the work-table of thesewing machine. Fig. 7 1s a perspective view of the under side of thepresser ]aWWl1BII1I1V6I'i3eCl. Flgs. 8 and bar 8 slides.

9 are respectively side and front detail elevations of the positions ofthe needle and folding jaws as they should be arranged preparatory tothe placing of the plies in position to commence stitching. Here thepresser jaw is elevated and the needle thrown back to the rearward limitof its feed stroke. Figs. 10 and 11 are similar views of the positionsof the same parts after the driving shaft has been rotated until thepresser jaw descends upon the fabric. Figs. 12 and 13 are similar viewsof the same parts after the needle has been raised and swung forward tothe front limit of its feed stroke preparatory to making a stitch. Fig.14 is a side elevation of the same parts showing the position of theneedle after making its back throw in the process of feeding the fabricalong one stitch.

The provisions for imparting to the needle its longitudinalreciprocating motion consist of the main driving shaft 10, Fig. 4 disk11, crank pin 5, pitman 4 stud 6, attached to the needle bar 8 by meansof clamp 7, Figs. 2 and 3, and the sway-bar 3 in which the Sway-bar 3 ishung on a journal stud 64, from the top of the head as seen in Fig. 2,so that it may oscillate in produc ing a step by step feed. With theseconnections it is plain that rotation of the driving crank will impartproper motion to the needle. The needle cooperates with the rotaryshuttle 101 which carries a spool of thread. This shuttle is driven byshaft 10 through shaft 90 with which it is operatively geared, andspiral gears 102 and 103, Fig. 2, the latter being mounted on the shaftwhich carries the shuttle. The shafts 10 and 90 are appropriately gearedtogether so as to impart to the several parts geared to themrespectively their appropriate motions. The feed movement is effectedthrough the cooperation of shaft 10, eccentric disk 11, mounted onsaidshaft eccentric ring 12 provided with arm 36 from the end of whichprojects a stud 37 fitted with a roller which revolves in slot 39 ofbracket 38. A link connection 40 is pivoted at one end to stud 37 and toits lower end two links, 43 and 44 are pivoted. The other end of link 43is pivoted to a stud 41 which projects from the end of an arm 42 carriedon a short rockshaft 67, Fig. 2. The position of center 41 may bechanged by swinging arm 66, and change in position of center 41 willchange the length of the stitch.

. Link 44 connects the lower end of link 40 with a stud 45 whichprojects from the inside of the lower end of the sway bar as seen inFig. 2. From these connections it is plain that rotation of eccentric 11will produce reciprocation of stud 37 through the inclined slot 39, thuscausing the upper end of link 40 to rise and fall. This movement causescenter 46 or the pivot at the lower end of link 40 to swing aroundcenter 41 for a limited distance. Such swing will cause sway bar 3 toswing on its pivot 64 a very short distance which is the length of astitch.

A stripping finger 32 is attached to a vertical bar 28 which is adaptedto slide in bearings in the sway bar and swings in unison therewith. Theoffice of this finger is to hold the fabric down when the needle is rising so as to prevent the impaled plies of cloth clinging to the needleand rising therewith. Its motion vertically is regulated by devicesindependent of the needle-actuating mechanism as will be explainedfarther on.

The presser jaw is raised intermittently to allow the fabrics to be fedalong by the con-. joint action of the following named parts To one sideof the eccentric ring 12 at 13 the link 14 is attached which connects atits other end with the rocker arm 15 which oscillates on stationarypivot 16. This arm 15 has a pivot stud as at 17 projecting from itsupper edge which carries a block-bearing '17 that is fitted to slidevertically between the slide-ways 63 of the bell crank lever 18. Thislever is pivoted on a stud 19 which projects from the vertically movableblock 20. Block 20 is clamped to the presser bar 21 and moves therewith.The upper end. of bar 21 enters a spring socket 23 and its descendingmotion is controlled by spring 22 in said socket, the force of which isnormally exerted to force the presser jaw 24 against the upper side ofthe fabric beneath it and the latter against the upper side of thefolder to hold the cloth in place during the folding and sewingoperation. The presser bar with the connected jaw may be liftedindependently by turning up cam 35 by means of handle 35 which worksunder a wear-plate 33, 1

which is interposed between cam 35 and block 20 to which the presser rod21 is attached. A guide-pin 33 projects from plate 33 upwardly throughblock 20 which serves to keep the parts in correct relationship. WVhenthis wear plate is worn out it may be replaced by a new one withoutdifficulty. The upper arm of the bell-crank lever 18 is fitted with twoaw slides between which the bearing block 25 may slide.- 111 thisbearing block a pivot stud 26 works which is an attachment of finger bar28 and is the device through which movement is imparted to said baraccording with the oscillating movement of the bell crank lever as thesame is actuated by the rotation of the eccentric ring through theconnection above described. On this finger bar a collar 29 is adjustablyfitted which on the down stroke of the bar will impinge against and restupon the shoulder 30 of the sway bar. This arrest of downward movementof the finger bar renders pivot 26 stationary and shifts the fulcrum oflever 18 from pivot 19 to pivot 26, from which instant the furtherrotation of the eccentric will cause the presser bar to rise till theeccentric passes dead center, after which the presser bar will a dropuntil the block 20 strikes the bearing on plate 33 at which instant thefulcrum of lever 18 shifts to pivot 19 and the finger bar rises.

. The tension devices consist of the friction disks 5a and 54;, guidepin 58, spring loop 56, auxiliary spring loop 57, take-up arm 51 andguides thence to the needle. These parts are seen in Figs. 1 and 2.111cm arrangement and mode of operation are precisely as in the standardlVheeler & Wilson machine before referred to except as the same may bemodified by the interposition of the auxiliary spring take-up loop 57.

stitch. Inasmuch as the upper andunder plies of the fabrics areseparatedby the interposed folder which is of substantial thickness, without theaid of this auxiliary take-up so much. slack is left in the upper threadwhen the needle rises and the takeup arm 51 drops, thatin the operationof the looperj the upper thread is not held taut enough to secure a welldrawn-up stitch and slack stitches will appear in the seam. If, toremedy these slack stitches, the tension oi'itheupper thread isincreased, it has been demonstrated that the thread will break.

This auxiliary take-up comes into action at the moment when the looperhook has en tered the needle loop and carried it around to. apoi'ntwhere it is about to cast it off which is the point of greatest strainonthe upper thread. Now if, at this moment, there is sufficient tension onthat thread to secure a tightly drawn up stitch, the thread is liable tobreak, and if there is not more than will avoidbreakage, it willbe looseand the face stitches will be unevenly drawn up. Hence, it has beenfound that by interposing between the principal tension devices and themain take-up arm a yielding spring take-up like or similar to that shownat 57,

so that if there is a momentary slack in the take-u tension at themoment above referred to, this slack will be taken up by the auxiliarytake-up 57 without. the needle thread being drawn through the devices53, 5-1 and 55.

The principal features of my inventionlas applied to a machine of thecharacter above described, are shown in Fig. 6. As a form over which toturn and fold, the edges of the plies of fabric to a be sewed I employ aformer .81 which has a body B, and tongue C, arranged at right anglesthereto. This tongue lies parallel with the direction of the line offeed. The under side of the shank or body B, is grooved to fit over atongue n, of the bed plate of this part of the machine to admit ofslight lateral adjustment of the tongue towardand away from the needleand 1s confined in position by a set screw 105 which passes through anelongated slot in the body. Its position with reference to the bed mayberegistered by the graduated micrometer scale m. The tongue is recessedfrom one edge as seen in cross section in Fig. 9, thus leaving a thinupper blade j,

and lower blade in, which open out at their front ends as seen in Fig.6. The front ends of these blades are notched as at f, Fig. 6 for thepassage of the needle. A thin space is left between the under side ofthe former blades andthe bed. for the passage of the under plies offabric. Two jaws 2i and cooperate with the former blades 111 turning themargins of the plies of cloth across the a ledge along one edge to forma shoulder parallel with the edge of the upper blade] ,1' of the former,which ledge is transversely grooved as at r, and t, to leave channelsfor the passage the rammer prongs. Thus the bosses g and 7) are formed.The front boss 9, is beveledat its toe as seenin Fig. 7, so that when inposition fabric may be easily slipped under it and so that it willoll'er no resistance to the passage of the cloth at any time. t

is also beveled to facilitate the turning of the fabric in stitchingaround a. round. cornor as in a collar or cuii'. When in position, withthe plies in place, the dropping of this presser jaw will bend. the edgeof the upper plies over the inner edge of the upper former blade as seeninFig. 11. Thelower jaw piece 85 is stationary and is attached to thebedplate 83 by the screw 107 which passes through the elongated slot, inits, shank whereby the j aw may have slight lateral adjustment withreference to the needle.

10? The front corner of the heel boss I),

The lower jaw in some respects is a countera I part in structure of thepresser jaw, that is to say, it has a corresponding shouldersubstantially parallel with the edge of the lower. formerblade it, toupturn the edg s of the, under piles and is similarly channeled as at s,s, F ig. 6, for the passage of the rammer prongs. The parts should be soarranged and ad usted that the folding shoulders of j the two aws shallbe in the same vertical plane and set distant from the inner edges ofthe former blades only far enough to. allow the insertion and passage ofthe plies of cloth between them without binding. The channels 0, and t,should exactly register over the like channels 8, and s, of the lowerjaw toleave a clear passage for the rammer prongs in the process ofinfolding the edges of the plies after being folded over the edges ofthe blades and 7a.

The apparatus for turning the folds of the edges of the plies in betweenthe blades of the former consist of the rammer 110, which has at eachend two prongs a, and u, and o, and o. The prongs of this rammer aremade in thickness to accommodate the number of plies of cloth to beoperated upon. The greater the thickness of the plies the thinner mustbe the prongs. They should be of such a thickness that they may push theedges of the plies in between the blades and hold them without pinching.This rammer may be made with the thickness of the prongs reduced on oneside somewhat as seen in Fig. 5, where the under side of the right handprongs is reduced in thickness an amount equivalent to one thickness ofcloth. This provision is intended to be used in sewing collars or likearticles where an odd number of plies are combined as where two outsideplies are combined-with one thickness of interlining. In such case twoplies must go on one side of the folder and only one on the other, andthe rammer is adjusted so that the rabbet ed side of the prongs shallcome opposite the double thickness. As many of these rammers may beprovided as may be necessary, and they are symmetrically designed sothat they may be reversed endwise or inverted. here the prongs of oneend of the rammer are reduced on one side of the plane of its axis itmay be used for inturning the edges of an odd number of plies where, forinstance, two plies are to be turned on one side and only one on theother, by setting the rammer so that its rabbeted side shall comeopposite the greater thickness of cloth.

The rammer is carried by the carrier, Fig. 7, which is fitted to slidein ways in the bed plate 83. This carrier is longitudinally grooved onits upper side to provide a seat for the rammer and to hold it in truelongitudin al adjustment. Under the rammer when in position are twoadjusting screws t, t, for regulating the elevation of the rammer so asto bring the prongs in alinement with the transverse channels of thejaws so that it may pass freely through them when brought togetherwithout colliding with them. The rammer is also perforated with twoholes for the binding screws u, and u.

A binding cap 1), similarly perforated for the binding screws lies uponthe top of the rammer over the carrier 7t, and when the screws u, u, areentered in place and screwed down the rammer becomes firmly grippedbetween the binding cap and the tops of the adjusting screws t, t. Astud Z, depends from the under side of the rammer carrier and isconnected with the slide 96, which is "reciprocated in the slideway 97,by means of the connection 94 and eccentric 93, which is attached to theear 92. The latter is driven by the bevel pinion 91 on the shuttledriving "in its position by the set screw :0, which confines it to theslide 96. By loosening screw :0, the carrier 09., may be lifted andsemi-rotated upon stud Z, so as to reverse the position of the rammerend for end.

A gage 84 is attached to the former which acts as a guideto the operatorin directing the cloth tothe needle, and another gage 109 is attached tothe presser jaw to indicate to the operator when to arrest the straightstitching before stitching around a corner. The provisions for guidingthe fabric in stitching around a. curved corner consist of a center pin74, which projects from the under side of an adjustable arm 73 carriedin a socket of a vertical sliding bar 72. This moves in fixed bearingsand has a long, vertical stem around which is a spiral spring 77, whichat its lower end abuts upon the top of the bearing 7 6 and at its upperend against a collar on the stem. Its normal force is exerted to forcethe'rod upwardly. It can be forced down so as to bring the point of thepin 7a to bear upon the fabric lying on the table beneath it bydepressing arm of rockshaft 69 which will cause arm 71, on the samerockshaft, the end of which bears upon the; upper side of arm 73, toforce the bar 72 and pin 74 down until it bears upon the cloth. Thiscenter pin differs from a needle which penetrates the cloth for the samepurpose in that it does not perforate the fabric, thereby leaving a holewhich is undesirable, nor hold the cloth so firmly that if any pull orstrain upon the cloth is put upon itby the needle in feeding it throughthe machine it cannot yield or give Way and thus avoid making a hole,which might result if the fabric were held by a center pin or needlewhich perforated the fabric. The adjustment and operation of the machineare as follows :The folder is soset that the edges of the former bladeswill be at such a distance at the right of the needle as to locate theline of stitching the desired distance inside of the edge of thefinished article. The under aw-block 85 is then set so as to leavesufficient space between its folding shoulder and the edge of the lowerformer blade to push the lower plies of fabric over the top boss, a, andbetween the shoulder and edge of the blade into position to commence thestitching. The rammer is this character in which the needle playshorizontally and the work is held in a. vertical position.

I therefore claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a folding mechanism for sewing machines comprising abed plate, a former having a body part mounted on the bed plate and atransverse tongue part, the edge of which latter is arranged parallelwith the direction of feed and has a recess forming relatively thinupper and.

lower blades, of an upper vertically movable presser jaw having a ledgealong one edge, to form a folding shoulder substantially parallel withthe edge of the upper former blade; a lower folding jaw positioned onthe bed plate to the side of the body part of the former, said lower jawbeing fixed against vertical movement but laterally adjustable relativeto the vertically movable jaw, and said lower jaw having a ledge alongone edge to form a folding sh ulder to cooperate with the foldingvshoulder of the moving jaw, a transversely movable rammer suitablyguided on the bed plate, said rammer being adapted in itsformerinbending the plies of fabric over.

the edge of the blades, means for laterally adjusting the stationary jawrelative to the jaw of the presser foot, and means movable between thejaws for bending the plies of fabric between the same, said last men-'tioned means being also adjustable. v

3. In a folding mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of astationary former, a stationary folding jaw, a movable folding jaw, arammer for turning the folded edges of the plies in against the insidesof the blades of the former, and means for adjusting the stationaryfolding jaw in a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rammer,and said jaws having a guide way for the rammer.

4. In a folding mechanism for sewing:

machines, the combination of a supporting table or bed, of a stationaryformer with means slidably connecting thesame to the bed whereby it maybe, adjusted laterflll'yf a tati n ry o ding ja e j s a ly moun d. on Sad a m v l fi lding j nd a eeir ie ting r iet rnins he folde dg s f Pl ist t e nsides of the. blades otthe f rmer, the a d jaw 5. In a folding.mechanism for sewing machines, the combination, of a stationary former,a stationary folding jaw,- a movable folding jaw, and an end-wisereversible reciprocating rammer for turning the folded edges of theplies in against the insides of the former blades, substantially asspecified.

6. In a folding mechanism for sewing machines, the combination, of astationary former, a stationary folding aw, a movable folding jaw, and avertically reversible reciprocating rammer for turning the folded edgesof the plies in against the insides of the former blades, substantiallyas specified.

7. In a folding mechanism for sewing machines, the combination with twoforming blades and two folding jaws to cooperate therewith in foldingthe edges of the plies over against the edges of the blades, of a rammeradapted to operate the space between the blades closer to one than totheother, as a provision for use in foldingand turning a greater thicknessof plies over one blade than over the other, substantially as specified.v

8. In a folding mechanism of-the character described, the combinationwith a former and folding jaws, and a rammerto cooperate therewith, ofan endwise reversible rammer carrler and means to reciprocate the same,substantially as specified.

9. In a folding mechanism of the character described, the combinationwith a former and folding jaws and a rammer to cooperate therewith, of arammer carrier and means connected therewith for effecting verticaladjustment of .said raminer upon said carrier, substantially asspecified.

10. In a folding mechanism of the char acter described, the combinationwith a former and folding jaws and a rammer to cooperate therewith, of arammer carrier,

two independently adjustable bearings upon" which the rammer rests, andmeans for binding the rammer in position uponsaid carrier bearings,substantially as specified.

11. In a folding mechanism of the character described, the combinationwith the former and folding jaws, of a bifurcated rammer, areciprocating carrier upon which said rammer is mounted, means connectedtherewith for independently adjusting the elevation of the ends of saidrammer, and means for confining the same in its elevated position,substantially as specified.

12. In a folding mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of aformer, co,- operatingfoldi-ng jaws, and an endwise reversi-blereciprocating rammer for turning the folded edges of the plies inagainst the insides of the former blades.

13. In a sewing machine, fo ding me h nism therefor including astationary former having opposed blades, a movable folder arranged abovethe former, a cooperating folder arranged below the former, means forfixedly mounting the cooperating folder,

in, a stationary former mounted on the table, a folding j aw slidablymounted in said slot, means for holding the jaw in stationary adjustedpositions on said table, and a cooperating movable combined Presser footand folding jaw, in combination with a rammer adapted to play betweenthe folding jaws, substantially as specified.

15. In a folding mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of apair of forming blades, a pair of jaws positioned on opposite sides ofthe blades, one of said jaws being; stationary 1 and having an inclinedsurface overlying one of the former blades whereby in the movement ofthe ma terial over the stationary jaw the material will be folded andthe other jaw being movable and forming a combined presser memher andfolding device having an [edge adapted in one of its movements tooverlie the edge of the other former blade to fold the materialthereover.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

DAGOBEBT ZEISER.

Witnesses Orro J. Znrsnn, DAVID A. Annnnson.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i

